Metallic cross-tie.



W. E. COLE & W. W. CANDLER.

METAL-L1G GROSS TIE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 2, 1909.

Patented May 10, 1910.

(0'17 006? a Jada/11hr WILLIAM E. COLE AND WASHINGTON W. CANDLER, OF CANDLER, NORTH CAROLINA.

METALLIC CROSS-TIE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 1% 1910.

Application filed July 2, 1909. Serial No. 505,680.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, lVILLIAM E. COLE and WASHINGTON 1V. CANDLER, citizens of the United States, residing at Candler, in the county of Buncombe and State of North Carolina, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Metallic Cross-Ties, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to metallic cross ties and has for its object to provide a strong, durable and thoroughly practical device of this character designed to take the place of the ordinary woodcross tie and which shall supersede the latter in point of utility, durability and efliciency.

A further object is to provide a cross tie including mating sections having rail engaging devices interposed between the same and adapted to clamp the rail in engagement with the tie when said sections are united.

A further object is to form the cross tie with transversely alined slots, the walls of which are inclined or beveled for engagement with the correspondingly beveled faces of the rail fastening devices, thereby to exert a wedging action on said fastening devices when the tie sections are assembled.

Further objects and advantages will appear in the following description, it being understood that various changes in form, proportions and minor details of construction may be resorted to within the scope of the appended claims.

For a full understanding of the invention and the merits thereof and also to acquire a knowledge of the details of construction and the means for effecting the result, reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a metallic cross tie constructed in accordance with our invention; Fig. 2 is a detail perspective view of one end of the cross tie, one of the tie sections and rail engaging members being removed in order to more clearly show the construction of the tie; Fig. 3 is a detail longitudinal sectional view of the cross tie showing the manner of clamping the rail in engagement therewith; Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one of the rail engaging members detached.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the followin description and indicated in all the views 0% the drawings by the same reference characters.

The improved tie forming the subject matter of the present invention is preferably formed of mating sections 5 and 6, each stamped or otherwise constructed from a single sheet of metal and provided with inwardly extending flanges 7 adapted to register with each other to form the upper and lower faces of the tie, as shown.

Interposed between the sections 5 and 6 of the tie, are spacing members 8 having oppositely disposed T-shaped flanges 9 which bear against the flanges 7 of said sections, there being perforations 10 formed in the tie sections 5 and 6 near the spacing members 8 for the reception of bolts or similar fastening devices 11 by means of which the tie sections may be rigidly united.

The inner longitudinal edges of the upper flanges 7 are provided with transverse slots 12 adapted to register with each other to permit the introduction of rail engaging devices or clamps 13. The rail fastenings 13 may be cast or otherwise formed of metal, but are preferably formed of heavy strap iron bent into the shape shown in Fig. 4: of the drawing. The fastenings 13 are provided with oppositely disposed inwardly extending lips 14, one of each of which is adapted to bear against the base of the adjacent rail and the other against the lower faces of the upper flanges 7 the rear faces of the fastening devices or clamps being inclined or beveled in opposite directions at 15 for engagement with inclined walls 16 of the slots 12 so that when the tie sections 5 and 6 are secured together by the bolts 11, the inclined walls 16 of the slots will bear against and exert a wedging action on the walls 15 of the fastening devices, thus to positively force said fastening devices against the rail and securely lock the latter in position on the cross tie.

The spacing members 8 are preferably positioned beneath the rails 17 so as to form a firm support for the same, the flanges or heads 9 of the spacing members at the same time serving to reinforce and strengthen the tie and prevent the latter from bending when subjected to the weight of a train or car passing over the tie.

Thus it will be seen that after the rails are positioned on the cross tie, said rails may be securely locked against spreading by merely adjusting the bolts 11, said bolts forming the dual function of a means for readily uniting the tie sections and also as a means for forcing said tie sections in e11- gagement with the fastening devices to effect the clamping of the rail. The length of the spacing member 8 is preferably slightly less than the width of the cross tie so that when the clamping nuts of the bolts 11 are tight ened, the initial lateral pressure exerted on the tie sections by said bolts, will force the inclined faces 16 of said tie sections against the correspondingly inclined faces 15 of the fastening devices, and a further lateral pressure exerted on the tie sections will force the same against the ends'of the spacing members.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that there is provided a comparatively simple and thoroughly efficient device admirably adapted for the attainment of the ends in view.

Having thus described the invention, What is claimed as new is:

l. A cross tie including mating sections, a spacing member interposed between said tie sections, and rail engaging devices provided with lateral lips adapted to engage the base of the rail and said spacing member respectively, said engaging devices being actuated to clamp the rail into engagement with the tie when the sections are united.

2. A cross tie including mating sections having their inner longitudinal edges provided with inclined slots, rail engaging devices seated in said slots, and fastening devices connecting the tie sections.

3. A cross tie including mating sections having registering slots formed therein, one wall of each of which is inclined, rail engaging members seated in said slots and each provided with oppositely disposed inclined faces for engagement with the inclined faces of the slots, and fastening devices connecting the tie sections for drawing the latter together thereby to exert a wedging action on said rail engaging members.

4. A cross tie including mating sections having spaced inwardly extending flanges,

spacing members, rail engaging devices seated in said slots, and a fastening device disposed on one side of each spacing member for uniting the tie sections and simultaneously actuating the rail engaging members to clamp the rail in engagement with the tie.

6. A cross tie including mating sections having spaced inwardly extending flanges, spacing members interposed between the tie sections and provided wit-h oppositely disposed heads adapted to zbear against the flanges of the tie sect-ions, there being slots formed in the inner longitudinal edge of the upper flange of each tie section and provided with inclined walls, rail engaging members seated in said slots and each provided with oppositely disposed lips adapted to engage the base of the adjacent rail and the lower faces of the upper flanges of the cross tie sections, said rail engaging members being inclined in opposite directions for engagement with the inclined walls of the slots, and fastening devices connecting the tie sections for securing the latter in assembled position and simultaneously actuating the rail engaging members to clamp the rails.

In testimony whereof we afliX our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM E. COLE. [n 3.] WASHINGTON w. OANDLER. [Ls] lVitnesse-s J. M. CHILIs, HUGH LA BARBE. 

